Fountain pen appreciation

[Tango]

Many thanks for all the responses guys. I'm working in Germany next week and hope to get to shop for a Mont Blanc there. Just scheduled a hunt for July with my son (his first) so I want to introduce him to good pens and a hunt journal along with the rest of the African hunt experience. I was shocked when I learned his school doesn't teach cursive writing any longer. Working to fix that!

 

[Nyati]

Many thanks for all the responses guys. I'm working in Germany next week and hope to get to shop for a Mont Blanc there. Just scheduled a hunt for July with my son (his first) so I want to introduce him to good pens and a hunt journal along with the rest of the African hunt experience. I was shocked when I learned his school doesn't teach cursive writing any longer. Working to fix that!

Take a look at Pelikan, excellent pens with a wide range of models.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I missed this post earlier.... nice work!

I was actually thinking about trying to turn a few pens on my lathe out in the shop.. Ive got a couple of decent pen kits that I bought from a supply house.. and I picked up some absolutely beautiful walnut from a couple of broken stocks that came off some fine british shotguns (Purdy, Boss).. Maybe a couple of pieces of that walnut needs to be given new life in the form of a fountain pen...

Might be kinda nice to make a pen that matches a fine "africa" hunting rifle.. blued steel and fine walnut components.. and maybe some sort of ebony inlay on it somewhere..

That sounds great. The Purdey Mont Blanc pen is mostly walnut and has the finest checkering I have ever seen.

 

[Alistair]

Take a look at Pelikan, excellent pens with a wide range of models.

I like Pelikan nibs much better than Montblanc, much softer and bouncier and incredibly smooth and expressive. Especially the M1000.

However, they can be overpolished and skip sometimes. So make sure you write with it before you buy.

 

[mdwest]

That sounds great. The Purdey Mont Blanc pen is mostly walnut and has the finest checkering I have ever seen.
View attachment 519457

that pen is a work of art.. .

I definitely dont have those kind of skills.. I can probably get the barrel shape correct, and get the finish to come out nicely (slick and consistent)... but I definitely dont have the ability to do the fancy engraving or checkering..

I think Im going to try to turn 4 or 5 pens just using inexpensive kits (you can buy cheap roller ball type kits for less than $10) and just whatever scrap wood I can find thats long and wide enough thats out in the scrap bin and get a little bit of experience before I go putting the nice walnut on the lathe and hit it with the tools.. once I think I've got the process down well I'll pick up one of the higher end / quality fountain pen kits from one of the supply houses and see how nice of a pen I can build..

Worst case scenario.. I realize I am not capable of making a nice pen.. and I end up with 4 or 5 cheap pens to put in a desk drawer and use for work... and I dont sacrifice a nice piece of walnut on a junk project

Best case scenario, I end up with a pen that I can be proud of, that I can use for the rest of my life.. that looks like it was made alongside my 416

 

[Tango]

That sounds great. The Purdey Mont Blanc pen is mostly walnut and has the finest checkering I have ever seen.
View attachment 519457

Yes, that's a work of art and one I'd love to own. I think there's a Holland and Holland edition also.

 

[Tango]

I like Pelikan nibs much better than Montblanc, much softer and bouncier and incredibly smooth and expressive. Especially the M1000.

However, they can be overpolished and skip sometimes. So make sure you write with it before you buy.

Thanks, good to know. I tested some MB pens at their local boutique last night and was amazed at how nice the flexible nibs felt. I need to do some further test driving.

 

[steve white]

I have a small collection of Cross pens

Do they all "wind down" under the pressure of writing so that you have to continually twist them back up?

 

[steve white]

I too like Mont Blanc inks, my favorite is Midnight Blue.

View attachment 509776


It seems these days most salespeople are not at all knowledgeable or perhaps more accurately are ignorant about the products they sell. This applies to most items. From pens through wine, and firearms to cars. Most of the time within the first minute of talking to the individual I realise I will receive no meaningful assistance from them. I find this unacceptable, to me it is simply a lousy work attitude. More annoying still is the fact most of them don’t realise or accept just how blissfully ignorant they are adding further to my frustration. I could never work that way.

I am jealous of you right handers who can use these without smearing the ink everywhere...nice

 

[steve white]

Beyond fast drying ink for lefties, what of inks that do not bleed through fine paper, such as found on vintage Bibles? Any of the finer pens give that a thought at all? Might help if inks were non acidic?

 

[Woodcarver]

that pen is a work of art.. .

I definitely dont have those kind of skills.. I can probably get the barrel shape correct, and get the finish to come out nicely (slick and consistent)... but I definitely dont have the ability to do the fancy engraving or checkering..

I think Im going to try to turn 4 or 5 pens just using inexpensive kits (you can buy cheap roller ball type kits for less than $10) and just whatever scrap wood I can find thats long and wide enough thats out in the scrap bin and get a little bit of experience before I go putting the nice walnut on the lathe and hit it with the tools.. once I think I've got the process down well I'll pick up one of the higher end / quality fountain pen kits from one of the supply houses and see how nice of a pen I can build..

Worst case scenario.. I realize I am not capable of making a nice pen.. and I end up with 4 or 5 cheap pens to put in a desk drawer and use for work... and I dont sacrifice a nice piece of walnut on a junk project

Best case scenario, I end up with a pen that I can be proud of, that I can use for the rest of my life.. that looks like it was made alongside my 416

First key to a good concentric cut on your blanks is to make sure you don't over-tension the mandrel. Bring your tailstock in to fully engage the mandrel, but with just enough pressure to hold. Otherwise, the mandrel will flex, which will bow the blank as material is removed. Ask me how I learned this, lol.
The other key is light cutting pressure with very sharp tools. It's amazing how easily a blank, and the mandrel, can be bent with a heavy cut or dull tools. Once the mandrel bends, they are virtually impossible to get true again. I use a set of very small gouges, specifically designed for pens, to avoid the desire to "speed things up".
Pens are fun. Once you get the little details figured out, they are also a fairly quick project. Friction polishes, mine are carnauba based, are easy, durable, and the oils in the hand typically keep the finish looking good for years. Have fun!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

First key to a good concentric cut on your blanks is to make sure you don't over-tension the mandrel. Bring your tailstock in to fully engage the mandrel, but with just enough pressure to hold. Otherwise, the mandrel will flex, which will bow the blank as material is removed. Ask me how I learned this, lol.
The other key is light cutting pressure with very sharp tools. It's amazing how easily a blank, and the mandrel, can be bent with a heavy cut or dull tools. Once the mandrel bends, they are virtually impossible to get true again. I use a set of very small gouges, specifically designed for pens, to avoid the desire to "speed things up".
Pens are fun. Once you get the little details figured out, they are also a fairly quick project. Friction polishes, mine are carnauba based, are easy, durable, and the oils in the hand typically keep the finish looking good for years. Have fun!

@Woodcarver please post some pictures of your pens.

 

[FlowHamed18]

Many thanks for all the responses guys. I'm working in Germany next week and hope to get to shop for a Mont Blanc there. Just scheduled a hunt for July with my son (his first) so I want to introduce him to good pens and a hunt journal along with the rest of the African hunt experience. I was shocked when I learned his school doesn't teach cursive writing any longer. Working to fix that!

Maybe also get in touch with "Diplomat" pens. Very nice writing, made in Germany and not as expensive as Mont Blanc.

en - Homepage - Diplomat Schreibgeräte

www.diplomat-pen.com

I got two out of the Excellence A+ series and I love them.

Also my classic Pelikan M805 Stresemann is a very nice piece of German craftsmanship.
I am using it with with different kinds of orange ink to sign documents, so everybody knows it was really me

 

[Alistair]

Thanks, good to know. I tested some MB pens at their local boutique last night and was amazed at how nice the flexible nibs felt. I need to do some further test driving.

I haven't tried their 'calligraphy flex' nib, but their standard range of nibs, even in the 149 size are quite stiff compared to Pelikan or say pilot or sailor equivalent nib sizes. Nothing wrong with that and they work fine, great evwn, but I persoeven, like a bit of bounce both for feel and for a tiny bit of expressive line variation.

 

[Alistair]

Pretty nib pics of my Pelikan M1000 (B), MB149 (M) and Sailor King of Pen Ebonite (Speciality, Naginata Togi, M).

 

[Nyati]

Beyond fast drying ink for lefties, what of inks that do not bleed through fine paper, such as found on vintage Bibles? Any of the finer pens give that a thought at all? Might help if inks were non acidic?

Inks and paper........ to begin with, some papers are just not made for FP ink, no matter which ink, they will bleed through.

So I would advise you to find some ink friendly paper in your area.

Most modern inks are not very acidic

 

[Woodcarver]

@Woodcarver please post some pictures of your pens.

In looking for a couple to post, it made me aware I lost some files in the hard drive crash awhile back as I can't find several folders of various carvings and turnings, most of which were sold or gifted some time back. But here a few that I did find, and a few that I still have and took new pics of...
Pen & pencil set from antler

Artist, or shop pencil with mesquite. Top is still new, the bottom one has been in use in my shop for several years. Turned at the same time from the same log. The patina from age and use is similar to what we see on a well used walnut stock

a cartridge pen with mesquite

One of my favorites, as this type of inclusion in mesquite is rare, typically not where you want them, and can't be seen until a log is cut open.

a Gatsby Grande with black palm (stabilized palm tree)

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

In looking for a couple to post, it made me aware I lost some files in the hard drive crash awhile back as I can't find several folders of various carvings and turnings, most of which were sold or gifted some time back. But here a few that I did find, and a few that I still have and took new pics of...
Pen & pencil set from antler
View attachment 520918
Artist, or shop pencil with mesquite. Top is still new, the bottom one has been in use in my shop for several years. Turned at the same time from the same log. The patina from age and use is similar to what we see on a well used walnut stock
View attachment 520920
a cartridge pen with mesquite
View attachment 520921
One of my favorites, as this type of inclusion in mesquite is rare, typically not where you want them, and can't be seen until a log is cut open.
View attachment 520922
a Gatsby Grande with black palm (stabilized palm tree)
View attachment 520923

This last one is very attractive.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

At last my Holland and Holland pen arrived and I could not be more impressed. The workmanship is superb and in the hand the balance is just right. The 'wood' is shiny and may be resin, but the grain and figure is so detailed that I wonder if it is resin impregnated wood? In any event it is extremely pleasing.
The surprise came when I opened the little compartment at the base of the box to reveal the conversion kit to a ball point plus four cartridges.
I thoroughly recommend one of these, the presentation case is superb in of itself.

 

[Tango]

Wow, congratulations! That's gorgeous. I'm on the hunt for their Hemingway edition from years ago.